Sanyu (Chang Yu)

signed in pinyin and Chinese (lower right)

Private Collection (acquired directly from the artist)
Private Swiss Collection
Private Asian Collection (Sotheby's Auction, Hong Kong, 2005)

There is craquelure across the surface of the canvas and the paint is chipped and worn at the edges of the canvas. This painting has been examined with UV light and no restoration is visible. Restoration of this work is recommended.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Note: This painting will be included in the forthcoming supplement to Sanyu: Catalogue Raisonne Oil Paintings  by Rita Wong.

20th Century Chinese artist Sanyu's oeuvre can be divided into three categories: nudes, still lifes and animals. Floral still lifes dominated his output, and Still Life (Lot 658), which is offered in this sale, is a representative example. In this work, Sanyu uses the technique of Chinese ink-line drawing to outline a plant standing tall in a flowerpot. He has adapted elements from Chinese calligraphy—dotting, diagonal strokes and pressing—into his brush technique, most markedly in the depiction of the leaves. Although Sanyu uses only a few simple strokes, the leaves appear succulent and solid. At the top of the long stem, the blossoming pink flowers provide a colourful contrast to the white wall and coffee-coloured table. The simplicity of this composition has appeared in many of Sanyu's works from the 1930s to the 1950s; Still Life shares with Pink Chrysanthemums (completed in 1930) not only a similar composition but also a Chinese ink-line drawing technique.

The upright flowers suggest the loftiness of the literati, perhaps a representation of the artist's own life abroad and his homesickness. In this work, "homesickness manifests itself through the joyous reddish pinks, which also exude loneliness". An art critic once wrote, "Sanyu's works are more like poetry, a concise couplet so pure you can only intuit rather than rationally examine, and where literal words cannot be decoded"[1]. The work is marked by a tranquil elegance that offers the viewer many details to treasure.

[1] Jiang Xun, "Flowers that symbolize homesickness in the still life paintings of Sanyu," from Where is Home? The Art of Chang Yu/San Yu/Sanyu, National Museum of History, Taiwan, 2001, p. 76